Vertical Farming

Vertical FarmingVertical Farming - Bridging the gap between the demand and supply of food

A growing population places increasing demand on food availability. As farmers struggle to bridge the gap between demand and supply using traditional farming methods, more innovative and efficient cultivation techniques continue to emerge. One of these methods is vertical farming.

Given the recent advancements in technologies, more agri-businesses and cultivators are leaning towards this farming method to enhance productivity and ensure the availability of quality food. Read on to learn more.

What is Vertical Farming?

Vertical farming refers to cultivating crops in vertically stacked layers, instead of a single surface, like a greenhouse or field. Generally, cultivators incorporate these into vertical structures, such as shipping containers, skyscrapers, used warehouses, and abandoned mine shafts.

This farming method uses Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) technology to monitor required humidity, temperature, gases, and light in indoor conditions. For instance, farmers use artificial lighting and metal reflectors to mimic natural sunlight.

How does it work?

Here are the four primary factors affecting vertical farming:

• Layout: Farmers cultivate crops on tower-like structures to maximize food production while limiting resource usage.
• Light: Cultivators use a combination of artificial and natural light, along with technologies like rotating beds to ensure optimum lighting efficiency.
• Sustainability: Vertical farming aims to minimize the exhaustion of natural resources. As a result, this farming technique recycles irrigation water to reduce usage by up to 95%. Farming indoors also requires negligible agrochemicals, saving more resources.
• Growing medium: Vertical farming uses soilless agriculture, such as aquaponics, aeroponics, and hydroponics. Cultivators also commonly use coconut husks and peat moss as growing mediums.

Techniques of Vertical Farming

• Hydroponics: This method involves growing plants without soil in nutrient-enriched water. The floating raft system is a common technique where growers place a polystyrene raft in a large container holding water and nutrients for the plants.
• Aquaponics: Aquaponics integrates aquaculture, where producers raise fish and other aquatic animals, with hydroponics into one production system. The excrement from the fish acts as fertilizer for crops, mimicking natural ecosystems.
• Aeroponics: An advanced form of hydroponics, aeroponics uses nutrient-rich mists instead of water. Cultivators plant seeds in pieces of foam stuffed into small pots, with roots nourished by nutrient-rich water or mist sprayed periodically.

Vertical Farming - The Future of Agriculture?

The main objective of vertical farming is to maximize yield while minimizing the use of natural resources. It promotes precision and sustainable agriculture far beyond traditional techniques.

Advantages of Vertical Farming

• Optimum space usage
• Reduced transportation costs
• Consistent and higher crop yield
• Lower water usage
• Zero agrochemical usage
• Energy efficiency
• Minimized occupational hazard
• Reduced labor costs